Since its inception, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education and (ISC)² have worked to increase awareness of the importance of cyber safety and ensure that people around the world have a safe online experience. The Center has done this through several initiatives, including Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures program which taught more than 300,000 students how to stay safe online, with the help of Garfield the cat.   

Globally, (ISC)² aims to strengthen the cybersecurity profession, which is changing as rapidly as the interconnected world in which we all live. As (ISC)² increases its overall impact, the Center is entering into a period of renovation. The long-term goal of the Center is to energize the cybersecurity profession to safeguard tomorrow’s digital world through new programs and approaches. These new programs will help to build a robust pipeline of future cybersecurity professionals, provide educational support to transition people into cyber careers, address challenges faced by the current workforce, and expand the profession’s benefit to society.  

With this new activity, the Center has made decisions regarding its current programs. After five years, Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures program will formally close on June 30. Everyone at the Center and at (ISC)² would like to thank Garfield and his creator, Jim Davis, for the impact the character has had on the next generation of online citizens.   

“We’re proud of the impact the Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures program has made on communities all over the globe and are incredibly grateful to all of the volunteers and teachers who have helped teach young students about how to be safe online,” said Greg Thompson, CISSP, chair of trustees for the Center for Cyber Safety and Education. “As the scope of the Center continues to grow, we look forward to introducing new programs that expand the reach of our educational mission.” 

The Center will continue to offer its free internet safety program, Safe and Secure Online, which is available for volunteers to download and present to Parents, Senior Citizens, and Children (11-14) in multiple languages: https://iamcybersafe.org/s/volunteers . It will also continue the scholarship program which seeks to provide opportunities for many aspiring cybersecurity professionals from various backgrounds. Stay tuned for information on the upcoming programs, as well. 

We are excited about the Center’s future. Look for an exciting launch at the (ISC)² Security Congress event in October! 

For those interested in volunteering their time with the Center, please complete the (ISC)² Volunteer Interest Form to be notified of current and future opportunities: https://www.isc2.org/volunteer/volunteer-interest .    

 And if you, or your company, have an interest in financially supporting these programs, you may contribute at https://www.iamcybersafe.org/s/give .